A longtime Oregon political tradition will fall this week since Republican Chris Dudley has declined to join Democrat John Kitzhaber at a gubernatorial debate sponsored by the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association.

Doug Beghtel/The OregonianChris Dudley

The debate at the ONPA's annual convention has traditionally served as the kick-off of the general election campaign. A quick search of The Oregonian's electronic files show that the major-party candidates for governor have attended the newspaper forums in each election since at least 1986.

Laurie Hieb, the association's executive director, said she was originally told by Dudley's new campaign manager, Josh Ginsberg, that Dudley would not be doing any debates until the fall. Hieb said Dudley later called ONPA officials to say he would not be able to attend this Friday's event in Salem because he would be on vacation with his family.

Dudley spokesman Leroy Coleman said that his candidate isn't trying to avoid debates until the fall.

"We're having talks with the Kitzhaber folks" about agreeing on a debate schedule, he said. Coleman added that Dudley is "going to be with his family [on Friday] and therefore will not be attending" the newspaper association forum.

Kitzhaber plans to attend the Friday event, where he will be questioned by newspaper editors.

"I was really surprised that they weren't going to be there on Friday," Derek Humphrey, Kitzhaber's campaign manager, said of the Dudley campaign, noting that it's a longtime political tradition in Oregon.

Humphrey said the two sides have exchanged e-mails about a debate schedule, but no agreement has been reached so far.